A THUG who began a mini crime wave when he hijacked a Derry mother at knifepoint has been jailed for two years.
Dylan Loughlin, 21, only escaped a five year prison sentence because he had admitted his role in the raids on a petrol station shop and a fast food takeaway, said Judge John O’Hagan.
Loughlin was described by his own barrister Peter Nolan as ‘not the sharpest knife in the drawer’.
Det Garda Alfie McHale told Letterkenny Circuit Court how Loughlin and some other men were spotted on CCTV in Bridgend on April 13, 2012, as they tried but failed to steal a car. They were seen walking across the Border.
Some time later the PSNI reported how a terrified woman in Derry had her Renault Megane car hijacked at knife point as she returned to the vehicle with her shopping.
At 9.30pm Loughlin asked for Stg£20 worth of diesel at the Top service station in Killea and when the fuel was put into the stolen car it had been driven off back into Derry without payment.
At 9.55pm a group of masked men burst into the Go filling station in St Johnston. A young male member of staff was stacking shelves at the back of the shop when the gang arrived.
“They were all wearing balaclavas; one of them was carrying what was described as a large butcher’s knife; they ransacked the shop and stole €5,110 in cash and two till drawers valued at 500 euro each. These were later found in Carrigans,” said Detective McHale.
At 1pm the next day the Derry woman’s new Megane was found burnt out in Manorcunningham. It was completely destroyed.
The second robbery took place the following month, said the detective.
On May 2o the gang burst into PJs takeaway in Killygordon. Three males wore balaclavas – one had a large knife. A second person – Loughlin – was carrying a baseball bat.
As two men took €560 from the till, Loughlin smashed up a cigarette machine causing €1,000 in damage.
The car used in this incident was found abandoned in Raphoe the next day.
The detective said that having viewed various CCTV footage they were satisfied with the identify of those in the gangs.
He said Det Sgt Mick Carroll had led three searches including a house in Long Lane Letterkenny where Loughlin was living with an aunt.
Loughlin was arrested and eventually admitted his role in the robberies. He said he was high on drugs and drink.
Judge O’Hagan said he wanted to know the affect of the robberies on the staff of the premises in St Johnston and Killygordon. Detective McHale said staff had been left terrified and frightened by the incidents.
Barrister Fiona Crawford, for Loughlin, said he was a man with limited education and background. She said he has been offered a job at Ferry’s Refuse if he was given a chance by the courts.
However she accepted that Loughlin had refused to meet the probation service in the run up to yesterday’s sentencing hearing.
Judge O’Hagan slammed Loughlin for his role in the robberies.
“They walked away (after the robberies) as if it was a great day’s work – like all the stuff they see in films, we’ve got €5,000 – that’s a great job – well it wasn’t a great job, it was a silly, stupid escapade all of it being recorded on CCTV,” said the judge.
He said the Derry woman had lost her car as a result.
“It was somebody’s pride and joy, worth a lot of money to them. It was torched – burnt to ashes,” said the judge.
He said Laughlin had a record for previous incidents including being drunk, abusive to gardai.
“He was an undergraduate in crime, graduating to the serious business of serious crime with these offences,” said Judge O’Hagan.
He said had Loughlin pleaded not guilty he would have had ‘no hesitation whatsoever’ in jailing him for five years.
The judge jailed Loughlin for 2 years on each count, with the last six months suspended.
He ordered that the February 2012 assault on Matthew Lafferty be taken into consideration.
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